Related links:

Diffusion in Uranus Atmosphere

Uranus' atmosphere is made of methane, a medium sized molecule. At the uppermost reaches of the atmosphere, methane gas breaks apart due to energy from the sun and from the magnetosphere. The remins of this methane combine with other gases to form complicated large molecules such as ethane gas, and acetylene. These gases are heavier, and so drop down in the atmosphere.

In regions of the atmosphere where the temperature is cooler, these gases form droplets of haze and smog. At even lower altitudes clouds of methane, ethane, and acetylene form.

At the bottom of the atmosphere, where the temperature warms up and changes to the Uranian interior, the molecules evaporate and break apart again into the methane and the other parts which made it in the first place. These smaller molecules return to the top of the atmosphere by diffusion.

This constant breakdown and assembly of methane and ethane is part of the evolution of Uranus and affects its weather.

The weather on earth can be described this way: air rises where it is warm (at the equator), and moves to where it is colder, (at the north pole). Because Uranus lies on its side, with the north pole facing...more

The mesosphere of Uranus is a region of balance between warming and cooling. That essentially means that nothing happens there. Except for diffusion, the atmosphere is still. Upper reaches of the atmosphere,...more

As on Earth, the atmosphere of Uranus consists of a troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. The troposphere is the region where the visible clouds are to be found. The stratosphere, as...more

On Uranus, as on Jupiter, the winds in the belts and zones blow first in one direction, then in the other direction. The clouds rise up in a belt, and drop down in a zone, as shown in this picture. This...more

The clouds on Uranus, like Jupiter, are divided into stripes. On Uranus the stripes are hard to find. The left picture shows the north pole of Uranus. In this picture only the smog can be seen. The clouds,...more